Toggle actuated vise



July 14, 1953 D. c. WILLIAMS 2,645,144

'roGGLE ACTUATED vIsE Filed Jan. 2, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 14, 1953 D. c. WILLIAMS 2,645,144

TOGGLE ACTUATED VISE Filed Jan. 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patente-d July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,645,144- l M l froGGLE ACTUATEDKV'ISVE e .David C. Williams, Needham Heights, Mass., as-

signor to Douglass Biddison, New York, N. Y. Application January 2, 1951,l serial Ng. 203,935

My present invention relates to vises that are adapted to be quickly and easily adjusted to and locked in work clamping position and that are particularly suited for use in connection with drill press operations.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a vise consisting of a chambered base, the upper surface of which establishes a bed having a slot opening into the chamber. Adjacent one end of that slot is a fixed jaw` while a second jaw is slidable on the bed and has a handle movable between first and second positions, a locking member extending downwardly into the chamber and slidable in the slot and connected to the handle to be tilted inresponse to itsy movement. The locking member has a pair of spaced elements engageable with opposite surfaces of the bed when it is tilted from a predetermined position by movement of the handle from its first towards its second position. In said predetermined position, at least one of the elements of the locking member is out of contact with the adjacent bed surface to enable the sliding jaw to be easily moved against or moved away from the work while in the second position of the handle, both elements of the locking member engage with bed surfaces to securely lock the jaws against the work. A vise in accordance with my invention is well adapted to meet the general objectives of quickly established adjustments and positive locking of the jaws in work clamping position'.V In addition, such vises have additional novel features and advantages which will be apparent from a consideration of the illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: e Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a vise in accordance withl my invention shown in its locked position. Fig. 2 is a partly sectioned side view of the locked vise.

Fig. 3 is a similar view locked, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of my vise. y

of thevise when untion. The ends of the pivot 2 der surface of the bed I2 and attached to the guide 'I6 asby the bolt I8. At I9, I have shown a handle having 4its forked ends 20 supported by the transverse pivotv -2I to swing between'a first or raised position and a second or locking posi- 2I are heldin bosses 22 on the jaw I5.

In accordance with my invention, I providea locking member 23 that is slidable in the Yslot I3 and has a pair of elements 24 and 25 spaced apart to freely receive the bed I2 therebetween but to engage withthe top and bottom surfaces thereof when tilted relative thereto. At its low' er end, the locking member 23 lis connected to the jaw I5 as by the lspring 26 shown as attached at oneend to the screw 21 threaded into the guide I6 and at its other end t0 the screw 28 threaded into the locking `member 23. At its upper end, I connect the locking member 23 to links. 29 by a pivot 30, the links 29 alsov being connected to the forked handle ends 23 by the pivot 3|.r n

When the handle I9 is swung upwardly substantially into the position shown in Fig. 3, the locking member 23 is positioned thereby-with at least one of its elements out of contact with the adjacent surface of the bed I2. In this position, the locking member 23 is in engagement with the keeper I1 and the rearV edge of the slidable jaw I5 defined by its bed contacting flange. Further raising of the handle I9 results in the rear flange edge serving as a stop to prevent such tilting of rthe locking member 23 as might result in its elements or one of them engaging the bed. The jaw I5 may then be slid into or out of engagement with the work, indicated at l32. When the jaw I5 is in engagement with the work, and the handle I9 pressed downwardly In accordance with my invention, I provide a vise base ID having a chamber II, and a bed I2 provided with a slot I3 opening downwardly into the chamber II. The base I0 may conveniently be formed of channel stock disposed with its bed establishing wall uppermost.

The bed I2 has a fixed jaw I4 adjacent one end of the slot I3A and a slidable jaw I5. `While the jaw I5 may be otherwise attached to the bed, I have shown, as a preferred connection, the jaw I5 as including aguide I6 slidably entrant of the slot I3 and a keeper I'I engageable with the untowards its locking position shown in Figs. *1 and e 2, the locking member 23 is thereby tilted to force both locking elements against opposite surfaces of the bed I2 to anchor the jaw I5 against movement.

In this connection, it will be appreciated that it is essential that the locking member 23 be substantially in a predetermined position after the handle `I9` is raised in order subsequently to effect a positive locking of the jaw I5. To ensure this, the spring 26 functions to yieldably hold the lower part of the member 23 against either the keeper I1 or the rear edge of the bed-contacting ange of the jaw I5, or both, so that when the handle is moved towards its second position, said member 23 will be properly tilted to bind on the bed I2.

As will be apparent from Fig. 2, the-locking position of the handle I9 is characterized by the fact that the center of the pivot 3I has passed below the line between the centers of the pivots 2I and 30 and that the handle I9 is seated against a suitable stop such as is afforded by engagement of the handle ends 20 with the exposed ends of the locking member 24.

When the jaw I5 `is against the work and the handle I9 has been depressed to lock it in that position, the locking action is, as will be apparent from Fig. 2, that the locking member 2 3 binds on the bed I2 and that the jaw I5 is thrust against the work relative to the locking member 23 with back pressure anchoring it.I Should the jaw I5 not be in engagement with the workwhen the handle I9 is brought into 4its locking position, the jaw I5 may be moved against the work as the locking member prevents movement only K in the other` direction.

v With the predetermined position of the locking member 23 being established by its engagement with the keeper 'I-'I as bythe action ofthe spring 25, a further advantage results in that the keeper II may be employed as a basis of adjusting the locking action. To accomplish that result, the keeper I'I has slots 33 and 34 for the screw 2 and the bolt I8 so that by adjusting the position of thev keeper I'I relativeato the guide I5, the locking action of my vise may be varied.`

In practice, bothof the 'locking' members 24 and 25 are rotatable pins. While the member 25 is confined by the sides of the base Ii), I have shown the member V24 as having anannular groove 35 to receive the end of the anchor' pin 36 to rotatably connectit to the locking member 23.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that not only are vises in accordance with my invention well adapted to meet requirements of adljustment that can be rapidly and securely effected but also they are capable of being economically produced without sacrifice of strength and durability. Y

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A vise comprising a chambered base the upper surface of which isa bed and which has a slotin communication with the base chamber, a fixed jaw on said bed adjacent one end of said slot, a second jaw slidable on said bed, a handle pivotally connected to said jaw to swing between a raised released position downwardly into a locking position, a locking member extending downwardly into said chamber through said slot and slidable therein, means yieldably connecting the lower part of said member tosaidfsecond jaw, a pair of elements carried by said member, said elements being spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of said bed and located adjacent opposite surfaces thereof, and a link pivotally connected to the exposed end of said member and to said handle rearwardly of its pivotal connection with said second jaw, said handle rocking said member so that at least one of said elements is out of vengagement with said bed as said handle is moved towards its released position thereby to enable said second jaw to be slid therealong, said handle rocking said member so as to bring both of said elements into locking engagement with said bed as said handle is moved towards its locking position and when said .handle assumes said locking position, the center of the pivotal connection between said link and said handle lies below the center line between the pivotal .connection between said handle and said second jaw and the pivotal connection between said link and said member, and the uppermost element is engaged as a stop by said handle.

2. A vise comprising a chambered base, the upper surface of which is a bed and which has a slot in communication with the base chamber, a xed jaw on said bed adjacent one end of said slot, a second jaw slidable on said base and including apart entrant of said chamberthrough said-slot, a. handle pivotally connected to said second jaw to swing between a released position .and a locking position, a locking member extending downwardly into said chamber through said slot and including a pair of elements spaced apart av distance greater than the thickness of said bed and located on opposite sides thereof for binding engagement therewith when said locking member is'tilted from a predetermined position, a member actuating connection between said locking member and said handle, a spring in said chamber yieldably connecting the lower ends of said second jaw part and'said locking member', and said second jaw including a stop' engageable by said locking member under the inuence of said spring, said stop positioning said locking member with at least one of its elements out of contact with said bed when said handle is in an Vinoperative position to enable said second jaw to be moved freely in either direction, and said spring maintaining said locking member in a position to be rocked to bringboth of its elements into locking contact with said bed when said handle is moved into its locking position.

3. A' vise comprising a chambered base, the upper surface or which is a'bed and which has a slot in communication with the base chamber, a fixed jaw on'said bed adjacent one end of said slot, a second jaw slidable on said base and including a part entrant of said chamber through said slot, a handle pivotally connected to said second jaw to swing'between a released position and a locking position, a locking member lextending downwardly into said chamber through said slot and including a pair of elements spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of said bed and located on opposite sides thereof for binding engagement therewith when said locking member is tilted from a predetermined position, a member actuating connection between said locking member and said handle, a spring in said ch'amber'yieldably connecting the lower ends 'of said second :jaw and said locking member, and said second jaw including a stop against which the lower end of said Vlocking member is yieldably held by said spring as said handle is moved towards its locking position to bring both of said elements into locking contact with said bed to prevent movement of said second jaw away from the iirst jaw, said second jaw being movable towards said rst jaw during the remainder of the movement of said handle towards its locking position with the stop being then spaced from said locking member.

4. A vise comprising a chambered base the upper surface of which is a bed and which has a slot in communication with the base chamber, a xed jaw on said bed adjacent one end of said slot, a second jaw slidable on said base vand including a part entrant Yof said chamber through said slot, a handle pivotally connected to said second jaw to swing between a released position and a locking position, a locking member extending downwardly into said chamber through said slot and including a pair of elements spaced apart a distance greater than the thickness of said bed and located on opposite sides thereof for binding engagement therewith when said lockn ing member is tilted from a predetermined position, a member actuating connection between said locking member and said handle, a spring in said chamber yieldably connecting the lower ends of said second jaw and said locking member, and said second jaw including a stop portion engageable by said locking member under the influence of said spring to position said locking member with at least one of its elements out of Contact with said bed when said handle is in an inoperative position to enable said second jaw to be moved freely in either direction and a stop portion against which the lower end of said locking mem- 6 ber is yieldably heldby said spring as said handle is moved towards its locking position to bring both of said elements into locking Contact with said bed.

DAVID C. WILLLAMS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,165,975 Johnson Dec. 28, 1915 2,465,679 Fleury et al Mar. 29, 1949 2,528,909 Plumb Nov. 7, 1950 

